Polytechnic lecturers may go on strike anytime soon

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) are threatening to go on strike after issuing a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government.

The Union says Polytechnics across the country will be shut down if the FG continues to continue to intimidate and force its members into the IPPIS payment platform without first securing their emoluments.

ASUP according to the Nation also accused the government of not keeping faith with the memorandum of settlements signed with the union in 2017.

In a statement made available in Abuja the National President of the Union, Usman Dutse said the union has no choice but to give the 21-day ultimatum since the FG refuses to implement its memorandum of settlement.

The statement reads in part:

''The last meeting which took place in March 2018 was postponed to enable the renegotiation committee to conclude its assignment and provide the needed security in the capture of the totality of members’ emoluments.

“However, in an apparent display of betrayal, the NBTE which has refused to commit to the successful conclusion of the renegotiation process is employing underhand strategies to force our members into the platform with or without our emoluments secured.

“We are appalled that the NBTE had kick-started this new arm twisting regime by convening a meeting with the IPPIS and the management of polytechnics without the unions, where they resolved to force our members into the platform.

“It is on record that the other legs of the tripod in the tertiary division of the nation’s education landscape are not facing such level of intimidation. This has strengthened our position that the future of polytechnics in the country indeed lie outside the regulations of the NBTE.

“Following these observations, the meeting of the NEC of our union has been left with no other alternative than to return to the trenches to fight for the sector, our members, our students and indeed the Nigerian state.

“We are therefore using this medium to issue a 21-day ultimatum effective 2nd October 2018 for the government to address these lingering issues and call the NBTE to order or face an avoidable total and comprehensive shut down of the sector.”